Percussion or Flintlock?

[Sparkitoff]

Had various percussion rifles, shotguns and handguns for years. Always thought a flintlock was a handicap based on information from others, largely before the net. Eventually I had a bug to get a flintlock and so I did. It is just different. Really interesting, nostalgic. There was a trade off for me. I can get caps and substitute powder locally but not flints or black powder. So I had to order black powder and flints, but I went ahead and ordered 5-pounds of powder and 25 flints. So far I am around 500-rounds fired and almost finished that amount of powder and flints. Funny thing, now the caps and substitutes are hard to get so I just order them too. If you don't mind ordering a bulk amount of supplies, it doesn't matter. I now own an equal amount of both types. I have a favoritism for the flintlock rifles for hunting but I enjoy them all at the range. Incidentally, I find my flintlock rifles are more reliable than the caplocks overall. Virtually no misfires with flintlock. Every now and then a cap won't ignite the charge, or the the cap doesn't explode. You really need to experience both to decide what you prefer.

 

[tenngun]

I e been shooting ml since 1973 and got my first flintlock in ‘76 been hooked on them since.
It’s not a matter of progress just a matter of fun.
Should you get in to the historic side of the sport, put on funny clothes to play cowboys and Indians in an adult way ( it’s a serious hobby after all) then flint gives a greater time period. For America 1607-1840. While precision is 1820 - 1940and after 1870 increasing rare.
Should you just want a fine gun and not play dress-up there is a great deal of fine cap poppers to be found, from elegant Ohio to rugged plains to refine English to poor boy southern
You’ll fine plenty o old boys who have spent a life time shooting caps, both living history and not, who have never wanted a rock in the lock.
After the first pinch of powder flashes in your face you will be hooked, or not, it’s all a mater of taste

 

[JCKelly]

Flint seems to me like shooting a Real muzzle loader; percussion is just a slower version of a modern gun.

As far as the "flinch-lock" matter, one is always supposed to pull a trigger never knowing if/when the gun, any gun, will fire. A test for this is to shot a gun which has been loaded- or not, by someone else. If it recoils without any BANG, it is the shooter's flinch.

IMHO shooting a flintlock is a good way to get over flinching with any firearm.

 

[Ragged Edge]

Maybe you might consider building a rifle you can convert back and forth from flint to percussion using two separate locks and the drum and nipple percussion setup. Just a thought.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I shot percussion for 30 years. For some reason flintlocks didn’t interest me.

I had only percussion guns for 20 years. I still have several. I've been doing flintlocks now for 30 years.

I switched to flintlocks as I started doing living history with a group that did AWI. I have 10 now. It is a bug, alright.

It's not an expected progression. Some fellows never transition to flintlocks, and some start with them and never do anything else. IF it was some sort of natural progression then I'd be on to wheellocks or perhaps even matchlocks, by now

LD

 

[DeadMule]

I’ve been shooting bp for close to 50 years now. I shoot mostly cap locks but I love the idea of flintlocks. Only problem is I still have that flinch lock thing going on. It seems silly but it’s hard for me to overcome. I’m to the point that I shoot ok but not sure if I’m comfortable enough to hunt with.
One great thing about flintlocks is you COULD make your own powder and find flint and with lead you’re go to go. Happy shooting

 

[BP Addict]

I began shooting Muzzle Loaders in the mid-1980s. I started with a Cap & Ball Revolver then purchased a used Thompson Center 50 caliber Hawken Cap-lock rifle. I’ve bought and sold many guns since.

About 1996, I purchased a CVA Kentucky Flintlock at a Gun Show. It was used so, no instructions and at that time, no Internet to download them. I took it out in to the woods for what I thought was going to be an afternoon of fun. I made the mistake of not only covering the Touch Hole but managed to fill it with powder as well. Every time the gun went off, it sprayed burnt powder across my forehead, even with a Ball Cap on! After about five or six shots, I took it home, cleaned it up and put it away. Later when I returned to California, I delivered it to a local Muzzleloader Shop and asked them to sell it for me. My reason being, IT’S NOT FUN! I stayed with Cap-locks ever since.

Here it is 20 plus years later and after realizing my earlier mistake (by reading a book on Flintlocks), I’m following a path I started way back then. So far, it’s been enjoyable but not without a few surprises. It definitely has a learning curve but Knowledge is Power!

A seasoned Flint Shooter in my club got me to try it again. He told me I needed to sell all my cap-locks so I couldn’t give up easy and go back to them. Not only did I do that but also sold my “Production” Flintlocks as well so I could afford some nice custom-made guns. I’m down to a 62 Caliber Trade Gun with an extra 50 caliber Round Ball Barrel for Hunting. I have a 40 caliber Pennsylvania Long-Rifle as well as a 40 caliber English pistol. As someone mentioned earlier, a good quality lock is a MUST and my factory guns were “Rock” eaters! I’m planning on hunting with a Flint-lock and Patched Round Ball from here on out.

Almost anyone with a little tutelage can master a Cap-Lock Muzzle Loader in a relatively short period of time. There is a learning curve with the Flint-lock. It will take some practice to learn to ignore the flash happening in front of your face. The same book “Flintlocks, A Practical Guide for their Use and Appreciation” by Eric A. Bye, emphasizes the importance of “Follow Through”. In it, he states that you want to concentrate on your target and hold your rifle as if to watch the ball hit the target through your sights.

My personal opinion is that a half-stock rifle should be Percussion and a Full-stock should be Flint. They just look better that way to me although my wife’s long-rifle is Percussion (her personal preference).

I’m with Bucky and think if you’re going to build a long-rifle, make it a Flinter. If nothing else just to mix it up a bit!

It’s always good to hear that a Pilgrim has joined our ranks. I have never regretted this path and Muzzle Loaders are still my preferable guns to shoot.

 

[11Bravo]

I went the opposite way as most that posted here. After the Army I only hunted with a ML and started with flint. I took a few deer with the 50 and it was a kit gun from the late 60s. Why I changed was safety glasses, yes with flint you should wear them but I hate them. The same as hunting with ear protection. I was combat Infantry and do you think we used safety glasses or ear protection? Maybe when I was on the M2 50 I'd stuff some cigarette filters in my ears in a long fire fight. So I stayed with BP but built two underhammers, to me those are the safest if you hate hunting wearing glasses.

 

[oncewas]

I really do appreciate all the input everyone has shared with me. I can’t say it has made my decision any easier but it has certainly opened my eyes. I’m thinking I would do myself a disservice if I didn’t at least try a flintlock. I thought I would build a Pedersoli Pennsylvania or Kentucky Rifle Kit Flintlock in .45cal. But after everything I’ve read, I think I would be better off going with a TMV or Kibler rifle or kit. So, more questions. Are there other kits/builders I should be looking at? Should I consider swamped barrels or are they not worth the extra money? If I’m going to go flintlock I want to be sure I do it right and not screw up getting something that will just make me regret it. Okay thanks again for all the help.

 

[Zonie]

I own a number of both percussion and flintlock rifles.
If I am going to the range to shoot my best groups on a target, I choose the percussion rifles to do my shooting. (Even after shooting flintlocks for over 45 years, I occasionally don't follow thru with my shots long enough to allow for the slightly slower lock time a flintlock has.)

If I am going to the range just to have fun plinking at dirt clods, small rocks and the like, I choose the flintlock. The extra challenges of shooting the flintlock well makes the hits more rewarding.

 

[Rudyard]

Well cap or flint?. Both have their merits but being an incurable sufferer of 'emagination' I took it beyound and made most every variant of flint or pyrites ignition locks , but still made a lot of matchlocks of varios nations .So you see there are other sorts you could asend or de send ? to .I havn't quite reached throwing stones or naughty words at 30 paces , But slings & arrows are in the mix if you fancy them.
Rudyard

 

[user 36911]

I think flintlocks are fun to shoot but I don't enjoy hunting with one. Just a personal thing.

My era is the mountain man era or you could say the fur trade era. I love the Hawken gun. Not that many Hawken guns were used by the mountain men but they were used by some during the later part of the fur trade era. Good enough for me. As far as I know and what I could find researching it there never was a half stock Hawken with a flintlock. It seems when the Hawken brothers switched from a full stock to a half stock they also switched to a caplock. So, to keep what I do somewhat real I just use caplock Hawkens.

 

[BP Addict]

I had wanted a Kibler SMR kit in 40 cal. The shortest barrel I believe is 42”. I acquired another 40 with a 42” x 13/16” barrel. My back just can’t handle it. My wife has a Pedersoli Frontier Rifle in 45 with a 39” X 13/16” barrel. It’s not too bad as there’s less metal due to the larger caliber. I settled for a 40 caliber Rifle built from a Jim Chambers kit; either an Isaac Haines or Lancaster. It has a 38” Swamped barrel. The weight is much more manageable. Most Purists seem to shy away from the Swamped barrels in that they are not historically correct. My back doesn’t seem to care and thanks me for my decision!

 

[user 36911]

I had wanted a Kibler SMR kit in 40 cal. The shortest barrel I believe is 42”. I acquired another 40 with a 42” x 13/16” barrel. My back just can’t handle it. My wife has a Pedersoli Frontier Rifle in 45 with a 39” X 13/16” barrel. It’s not too bad as there’s less metal due to the larger caliber. I settled for a 40 caliber Rifle built from a Jim Chambers kit; either an Isaac Haines or Lancaster. It has a 38” Swamped barrel. The weight is much more manageable. Most Purists seem to shy away from the Swamped barrels in that they are not historically correct. My back doesn’t seem to care and thanks me for my decision!

I had a custom built Isaac Haines rifle with a swamped barrel. I'm pretty sure the original rifle did too.

 

[BP Addict]

I had a custom built Isaac Haines rifle with a swamped barrel. I'm pretty sure the original rifle did too.

I should have said "Most" Purists I've talked to on the Facebook Gun Builders pages. I'm not well versed enough to say they weren't. Like I said, I'm in to comfort not historically correct.

 

[Ragged Edge]

Makes me wonder what the definition of "purist" is.

 

[David Y. Snellen]

Dear Sir,
First in answer to the wood question:
I use a cork or leather to stop the cleaning mix from leaking through. Use a funnel and have good light. Don't fill all the way to the top of the barrel (say 1/4-1/2 '' below) and let it set 10 min. Dump and repeat. Swab until clean and dry. Oil and you are done. As to the wood, keep a towel/paper towels handy to wipe off any spill.

Second, My flint is handmade, my others are factory. Most factory are not great for authenticity. My personal opinion is the GP rifle is a reasonable price and pretty close to a Hawken-- MUCH more than T/Cs and CVAs. I would suggest (since you can build) a TVM or components from Track of the Wolf. For factory, you might try a Dixie Gun Works Mountain rifle (if you can find one) If you go flint, remember that a gun made in a 1770's style will work for much later periods. The Mexicans were using 3rd model Besses at the Alamo.
Respectfully,
David

 

[BP Addict]

Makes me wonder what the definition of "purist" is.

Merriam-Webster

Definition of purist:

a person who adheres strictly and often excessively to a tradition (or style).

 

[Johnny Tremain]

Your first rifle might be a flinter, but yer last one will be...

I'd bet lock time videos against any of those cap guns. But then, they all know who would win.

 

[Col. Batguano]

I think the progression is generally from modern repeaters, to modern single shots, to modern in-lines, to traditional cap, to traditional flint, to pre-flintlock (dog lock, miquolet, wheel lock, match lock). Each "move" increases the challenges to the shooter. But the fundamentals of shooting remain the same for each.